Air supply component for use with a seat
A seat includes an air discharge port configured to provide a thin stream of conditioned air along a body surface of a seat occupant. The air discharge port is part of an air supply component located in or along the seat bottom or backrest. The air discharge port is positioned to direct conditioned air along an external surface of the air supply component or of another surface of the seat to form an initial thin stream of conditioned air that follows external seat surfaces to reach and flow along the seat occupant. The air supply component can be made adjustable to allow the location and/or direction of the discharged air to be changed to accommodate and maintain the conditioned air in a thin stream.
1. The air supply component adapted for attachment to a seat, the air supply component comprising:
an airflow conduit adapted for fluid communication with a pressurized air source; and
an air discharge port in fluid communication with the airflow conduit,
wherein the air discharge port is configured to be moveable to change a direction in which air is discharged from the air discharge port when the air supply component is attached to the seat with the airflow conduit in fluid communication with the pressurized air source,
wherein the air discharge port is located away from a front edge of the air supply component and is configured to direct airflow over an external surface of the air supply component, and
wherein the external surface of the air supply component has a curvature that changes the direction of the airflow from an initial direction of discharge from the air discharge port.
2. The air supply component as defined in claim 1 , wherein the airflow conduit is constructed to extend transversely away from a center of the seat when attached to the seat, and the air discharge port is spaced transversely away from the center of the seat.
3. The air supply component as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a central air discharge port in fluid communication with the airflow conduit and configured to discharge the air.
4. The air supply component as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a second air discharge port, wherein the airflow conduit is constructed to extend transversely between first and second ends along an upper portion of the seat when attached to the seat, the air discharge port being located at the first end of the airflow conduit, and the second discharge port being located at the second end of the airflow conduit.
5. The air supply component as defined in claim 1 , further comprising an adjustment portion moveably coupled with the airflow conduit and in fluid communication with the airflow conduit, wherein the air discharge port is formed in the adjustment portion so that movement of the adjustment portion changes the direction in which air is discharged from the air discharge port between upward and downward directions, between opposite side-to-side directions, or both.
6. The air supply component as defined in claim 1 , wherein the air supply component is adapted for attachment to an adjustable headrest of the seat so that the air supply component moves together with the adjustable headrest.
7. The air supply component as defined in claim 1 , wherein the air discharge port comprises an elongated slot that discharges a jet of air over the external surface.
8. A seat comprising the air supply component of claim 1 , the seat further comprising:
a seat bottom; and
a backrest coupled with the seat bottom and extending away from the seat bottom to an upper portion,
wherein the air supply component is attached to the upper portion of the seat and located so that the air discharged from the air supply component can be directed along shoulders and/or a neck of a seat occupant.
9. A vehicle seat comprising the seat of claim 8 , further comprising a base supporting the seat bottom, the base being adapted for attachment to a vehicle body.
10. A thermal comfort system comprising the seat of claim 8 , the thermal comfort system further comprising:
the pressurized air source in fluid communication with the air discharge port;
a heat exchanger located and arranged to heat and/or cool the air from the pressurized air source; and
a controller adapted to receive a user input and to control the pressurized air source and/or the heat exchanger in response to the user input.